You've Come Further Than You Think

In Adam Grant's book, Originals he puts forth one of the best courses to take when you have doubts on the road toward achieving a goal:

"When our commitment is wavering, the best way to stay on track is to consider the progress we've already made. As we recognize what we've invested and attained, it seems like a waste to give up, and our confidence and commitment surge."

In other words, we need to set-up small "wins." When you track your progress, your doubts often turn into a sense of enthusiasm. He goes on to say:

"Once commitment is fortified, instead of glancing in the rearview mirror, it's better to look forward by highlighting the work left to be done. When we're determined to reach an objective, it's the gap between where we are and where we aspire to be that lights a fire under us."

Remember to take inventory of what you've already accomplished. It's likely more than you think and enough to persuade you to continue on your path.

Originality is Not What it Seems

I'm in the middle of reading a terrific book called, Originals by Adam Grant. The book is not only full of interesting anecdotes, studies, and inspirational figures but also does a great job of demystifying many of the socially accepted truths.

One in particular made a real impact on me. Grant offers insight into the minds of so-called geniuses and originals. His main point is that the greatest obstacle to being original is not generating ideas but selecting the right ones. And when you create more work you simply have more options. Here are a just a few examples:

-- Mozart composed more than 600 pieces before his death at 35
-- Beethoven produced more than 650
-- Bach wrote over 1,000
-- Picasso's body of work is comprised of over 12,000 drawings and that's not even counting his paintings, ceramics, or sculptures.

Part of being original involves diving in and creating work - LOTS of it. 

Get to it.